Legislator partners with Office Depot Foundation to provide school supplies to local elementary school children

For the fourth year, Sen. Constance N. Johnson is teaming up with the Office Depot Foundation to provide sackpacks and school supplies to a local elementary school. This year’s recipient will be Dove Science Academy Elementary School. The sackpacks will be provided as part of the Foundation’s 2013 National Backpack Program in partnership with the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL). The presentation will be made on Friday, September 13 from 1:30-2:30pm at Dove Academy located at 4901 N. Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City.

“Once again, I want to thank the NFWL and the Office Depot Foundation for their commitment to helping America’s children get the school supplies they need to be successful in the classroom,” said Johnson, D-Oklahoma County. “As Oklahoma’s NFWL Education Team Leader, I’m honored to get to present these sackpacks to the wonderful students at Dove Academy.”

By the end of 2013, Office Depot and its foundation will have helped more than three million children since the program began in 2001. NFWL has been partnering with the backpack program for eight years and, this year, the Office Depot Foundation will provide the National Foundation for Women Legislators with more than 15,000 sackpacks for distribution by women elected officials in all 50 states.

Sen. Johnson will join local Office Depot Store Manager Steve Campbell in presenting 300 sackpacks to students.

Dove Academy superintendent Umit Alpaslan, M.Ed., said the sackpacks will be a welcomed gift for the school’s students.

“As Dove Public Charter Schools, we are very excited to be a part of this unique program for the first time. We thank our senator, Sen. Johnson, and the Office Depot Foundation for offering this community service to our very diverse group of elementary students,” said Umit. “Providing a great start to the year with the necessary supplies will boost the motivation of our students in reaching their highest potential."

About the National Foundation For Women Legislators, Inc. (NFWL)
Through annual educational and networking events, the National Foundation for Women Legislators supports elected women from all levels of governance. As a non-profit, non-partisan organization, NFWL does not take ideological positions on public policy issues, but rather serves as a forum for women legislators to be empowered through information and experience. For more information, visit www.womenlegislators.org.

About the Office Depot Foundation
The Office Depot Foundation is an independent foundation (tax exempt under IRC Sec. 501(c)(3) that serves as the independent charitable giving arm of Office Depot, Inc. In keeping with its mission, Listen Learn Care®, the Foundation supports a variety of programs that help children succeed in school and in life; enable civil society (non-profit) organizations to become more efficient and effective; help people and businesses prepare for disasters, then recover and rebuild afterwards; strengthen local communities through grants, product donations and volunteerism; and encourage community development through entrepreneurship and economic innovation. For more information, visit www.officedepotfoundation.org.